Trainer-driver Mat Rue. Photo by Coffee Photography
AMANDA RANDO | @Amanda_Rando
GOOD results at Bathurst tonight will top off a remarkable week for Western Districts-based horseman Mat Rue.
The 27-year-old added another highlight to his resume when winning the Group 2 Miracle Mile Drivers Invitational with Queensland pacer Leos Best at Tabcorp Park Menangle last Saturday night.
Rue was invited by Club Menangle to take part in the race after winning the 2013 Miracle Mile with Baby Bling.
And driving in front of a large crowd at that very same track last weekend brought back some good memories for Rue.
“It was great driving in front of a crowd like that again . . . the crowd was huge,” Rue said.
“In the warm up I looked across at the crowd and reflected on how it all came about when I won the Miracle Mile with Baby Bling.
“It was also nice to lob up on the night and drive in a race on a nice horse.”
Rue will have a bit more work involved than just turning up and driving at Bathurst tonight.
He has six drives and trains three of those horses himself.
Originally having a two-pronged attack in the opening race, Rue has been reduced to just one runner, Bettor Ranger, with his other pacer Big In America being scratched.
“I’m expecting a better run from Bettor Ranger even though he is drawn a bit wide,” Rue said.
“He won two races as a two-year-old and this time in made a mistake first up and faced a hard race the following start at Penrith.”
Rue’s next three drives are for other stables including the Barry Lew-trained Karloo Damajor.
He is very familiar with this gelding having driven the son of art Major in all of his 15 starts which includes six wins.
“He has started this campaign well with a win at Dubbo last week,” Rue said.
“He faces an awkward draw but we will go back and hope there is a bit of speed on that we can tag onto.”
Rue is then looking forward to racing his debutant Billy Braveheart later in the night following that pacer’s trial win at Bathurst on Monday.
“He’s produced a couple of nice trials and should run a good race first up even though it is a pretty handy race,” Rue said.
And rue is just as pleased with his filly Callmequeenbe in the last.
“She goes quite well,” Rue said.
“She got a long way back in her first start but ran home some good sectionals and has really tightened up after the run . . . I’m really happy with her.”
Harness Racing NSW (HRNSW) is the controlling body for harness racing in New South Wales with responsibility for commercial and regulatory management of the industry including 33 racing clubs across the State. HRNSW is headed by a Board of Directors and is independent of Government.
To arrange an interview or for further information please contact:
AMANDA RANDO | MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
(02) 9722 6600 • arando@hrnsw.com.au • @Amanda_Rando
